In pictures: Hawaii on red alert for huge volcanic eruption

Local residents in Hawaii are on alert after a plume of ash from the Kilauea volcano rose 12,000 feet into the air before dropping ash across the island, with locals being warned to stay indoors amid fears of a full eruption

The U.S. Geological Survey has also upgraded its previous volcano warning from ‘orange’ to ‘red,’ prompting fears that an ‘eruption is forecasted to be imminent with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere likely’, or it could even be underway.

But amid the panic, stunning photographs have captured the plume as it rises into the sky, as well as the red-hot lava that has begun pouring from the eruption.